Why Is Allergy Testing Important

As of 2008, approximately 25% of people in the developed world suffer from allergic disorders (Galli, Tsai, Piliponsky, 2008). These disorders can be mild, but they can also be severe. Hay fever, asthma, eczema, and anaphylaxis are a few examples of what can be categorized as allergic disorders. The morbidity rates among school aged children in the industrialized world is even higher than in the general population with 40-50% of children susceptible to one or more type of allergy (Pawankar et al., 2011). The pervasiveness of allergies worldwide has risen in the developed world for over 50 years. Many people take medication for their allergies but it can often take years to find a completely effective regime, if ever. For some, allergic disorders can severely disrupt everyday life. With so many suffering from allergies it is no surprise that this area of health has been thoroughly studied. Interestingly enough though, while we do know what happens in the human body during an allergy attack there is still debate as to why we as humans evolved allergic disorders in the first place.

Almost everyone has an allergy, whether or not they are massive, like peanut allergies, or minor, like seasonal allergies. The first time I had allergy was in my Ninth grade year of High School. When Miss. Town son's writing class came along and acted like a cup of milk in my existence.

The ironic thing about allergens is that most aren’t harmful to the body, but this doesn’t stop the immune system for mistaking them for foreign bodies, which is why it decides to fight back. Our immune systems are amazing things. They create proteins to fight disease, which are known as antibodies. These antibodies try to battle it out against the antigens. Once our immune system creates certain antibodies, they’ll recognize the same intruders again and protect our bodies automatically year in year

Since there is not a found cure, that does not mean there are no solutions. If allergy tests were mandated at healthcare facilities, it would help to recognize unknown allergies that patients have no idea they have. With doing so, individuals are at a better advantage in protecting themselves from an unexpected allergic reaction. With healthcare facilities mandating allergy tests, health insurance should cover these tests for the newborns and young children without making patients pay out of pocket. The severity of an allergic reaction can take one's life, therefore mandated allergy tests around childhood will help alleviate unexpected reactions, decrease hospital bills, and start to increase the immunity to an allergy for an

The screening will begin with questions about your family history of allergies and asthma as well as your symptoms. The doctor will ask you about your symptoms, how often they occur and if anything seems to trigger an asthma attack. Symptoms may include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath. It is also significant to look at if the time of day, time of year or any factors trigger or worsen these symptoms. Triggers can include allergens, air pollution, viral infections, physical activity or some medications (How, 2012). Questions about exposure to tobacco smoke, dust, and other airborne irritants as well as occupation and what types of pets you are around may be asked as well (M., 2011). It is also important to inform the doctor of any other health related problems or conditions that may interfere with the management of asthma such as reflux disease, sleep apnea, sinus infections, a runny nose, and psychological stress (How, 2012). All of these factors are considered when

Every year millions of people suffer from allergies of all kinds and swear they would do just about anything to make it stop! The usual routine is to go to the doctor where he will tell you that you have allergies and will then unceremoniously prescribe you some medication or tell you that you need to buy some Benadryl or other lack-luster preventive allergy medication and that you will have to take it for the rest of your life. You have got to be kidding me! Surely there is something you can do.

Childhood allergy is an exaggerated reaction by the immune system in response to certain foreign substances. These foreign objects may not be really harmful thus it is called an exaggerated response. In an attempt to protect the body, the immune system produce antibodies called immunoglobulin that causes the mast cells and allergy cells to release chemicals, including histamine resulting in allergic reactions. In most people, allergies appear during infancy and childhood. Some allergies can be outgrown while some lasts for a lifetime. It is best to consult an allergy specialist so that the source can be easily avoided and the symptoms treated. When avoidance measures fail or impossible,

This allergic response affects the human body in many different ways, but what exactly is an allergy? An allergy occurs when your immune system attacks a particular food that you have eaten. When an allergic reaction occurs one’s immune system mistakenly identifies an ordinary food as an invader and produces antibodies to act against this certain food (Hand

Allergy has been defined as the result of immune reaction to antigens known as allergenes. In the last decades it has been accepted that there is a genetic basis to susceptibility to most common diseases, including allergies. Individual susceptibility and environmental factors play the most important roles. Atopy represents

The most common method doctors use to identify specific allergies is a skin test. By scratching the skin, or making an injection just underneath it, the doctor can observe your body's reaction to various allergens. This skin test cannot classify all allergies; however it does cover major categories, such as common respiratory allergies, penicillin, food, and insect stings. Being aware of your allergy could prevent a future allergic reaction that could be life threatening. The children of those with allergies have a greater chance of having allergies themselves. As a result, doctors often learn about a patient's allergies based on family and personal medical

Allergies can cause a variety of symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, irritation, itching, hives, or anaphylactic shock.

Keep in mind these simple tips to help alleviate the signs and symptoms of your allergy:

These are seasonal because they usually occur during the same season every year. They may be a reaction to molds, grass pollens, or tree pollens. Other causes of problems are house dust mite allergens, pet dander, and mold spores. The symptoms often consist of nasal congestion, a runny itchy nose associated with sneezing, and tearing itchy eyes. There is often an associated itching of the mouth and ears. The problems happen when you come in contact with pollens and other allergens. Allergens are the particles in the air that the body reacts to with an allergic reaction. This causes you to release allergic antibodies. Through a chain of events, these eventually cause you to release histamine into the blood stream. Although it is meant to be protective to the body, it is this release that causes your discomfort. This is why you were given anti-histamines to feel better. If you are unable to pinpoint the offending allergen, it may be determined by skin or blood testing. Allergies cannot be cured but can be controlled with

Skin testing is one of the easiest and least expensive tests for detecting allergies. Skin testing is done by injecting an allergen (something that causes an allergic response) into the skin. The size of the wheal (tiny area of swelling) and flare (area of inflammation or redness) surrounding the area of the test, determine if it is positive. There are two methods of doing a skin test. One method is called the prick puncture test where the allergen is injected into the top layer of the skin (epidermis). Another method is injecting the allergen into the slightly deeper layer (dermis). More severe allergic reactions have been reported with this deeper injection. If skin testing has been performed and a questionable result

Allergies are among the most common inveterate case worldwide. Allergy symptoms range from making you powerless to putting you at risk for life-menacing reaction.Food allergies are defined as “ the body 's abnormal responses to harmless foods; the reactions are caused by the immune system 'sreaction to some food proteins” (thefreedictionary.difntion.com).In other words,The job of the body’s immune system is to identify and ruin germs (such as bacteria or viruses) that make you sick. A food allergy results when the immune system wrong targets a harmless food protein an allergen as menace and attacks it.